Kairouan Great Mosque

Kairouan, Kairouan Governorate, Tunisia

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The Great Mosque of Kairouan, also known as the Mosque of Uqba, is a monumental symbol of Islamic heritage and architectural brilliance in North Africa. Founded in 670 CE by the Arab general Uqba ibn Nafi during the establishment of Kairouan, the mosque is considered one of the oldest and most significant Islamic places of worship on the continent.

Its spiritual prestige is matched by its architectural grandeur, with a sprawling complex that covers over 9,000 square meters and features a hypostyle prayer hall, a vast marble-paved courtyard, and a towering square minaret that rises 32 meters into the sky. The mosque’s design reflects a fusion of pre-Islamic, Roman, and Byzantine influences, evident in its horseshoe arches, ribbed domes, and repurposed columns.

The mihrab, adorned with luster tiles from Iraq and openwork marble panels, is a masterpiece of Islamic art, while the intricately carved wooden minbar - made of Asian teak and dating back to the 9th century, is believed to be the oldest surviving pulpit in the Muslim world.